BERLIN (AFP) -- After a difficult week for the Bundesliga leaders, Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld went on the attack with the German media following his side's lackluster 0-0 draw at Hertha Berlin.

Bayern were barely out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons last week after captain Oliver Kahn was fined and suspended for criticizing teammates Franck Ribery and Luca Toni.
Kahn had launched a thinly-veiled attack on the French and Italian stars, published in last Monday's edition of German magazine Kicker, insisting they had to be more consistent.
But the Bayern captain also irked club bosses by exiting last weekend's Christmas party early, leaving midfielder Mark van Bommel to give the traditional skipper's speech.
On Tuesday, the club announced Kahn had been hit with a 25,000 euros fine (36,000 US dollars fine) and suspended for a week.
The story, including Kahn's groveling apology, ran in the German media for most of the week before German tabloid Bild claimed on Friday a replacement for Hitzfeld, out of contract next June, is being sought for next season.
Club manager Uli Hoeness slammed the article after Saturday's 0-0 draw in Berlin saying their was no truth in the matter, but rumors of a rift between Hitzfeld and board chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge have been rife recently.
Bayern produced another lackluster display at Hertha with Miroslav Klose as the lone striker and their star-studded attack only threatened the Hertha goal on rare occasions.
Their stars including Ribery, Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger just are not performing like they can.
""After the press reports of the past week, you would have thought we were in the relegation fight,"" said Hitzfeld, who will issue his team with a code of conduct to ensure there is no repeat of Kahn's outburst.
""But we are champions at the season's halfway point which is a great achievement for the players and will motivate them when we start again next year.""
Last week's negative headlines, implying the club are in crisis, aside, there can be no denying Bayern are mere shadows of the all-conquering side who began the season with a hiss and a roar.
Having blitzed title rivals Werder Bremen 4-0 on the second weekend of the season, Bayern have won just two of their last seven league games and the scoreless draw in Berlin was their second consecutive 0-0 result.
Saturday's results saw Werder Bremen join them at the top of the table on 36 points -- the first time another team has matched Bayern's points tally this season having enjoyed a six-point gap in mid-October.
""We had planned and wanted very much to get the three points, so we would be alone at the top of the table,"" said Hitzfeld.
""That did not happen for us, but we are winter champions, which is pleasing.
""I hope the situation settles down again now in the media.""
And suspended Kahn insists the club will work hard in the winter break to rebuild confidence and will pick up silverware this season.
""You could see from the Berlin game the team lacked confidence,"" Kahn said in Bild on Sunday.
""But the important thing was to go into the winter break as leaders.
""During January's training period we will be able to work on our problems. I am sure we will win more than one title this season.""
Midfielder Schweinsteiger picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in Berlin and will be suspended for the league leaders next Bundesliga game against Hansa Rostock on February 1.